


Those Burning Red Eyes

by RobNips



Category: RWBY
Genre: Branwen Tribe, Canon-Typical Violence, Drinking, Minor Original Character(s), Obligatory Branwen Origins, Pre-Canon, Pre-RWBY, a lot of drinking, fake lore, maybe a little more graphic? Rating might change, mostly self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-03-13 23:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13581138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobNips/pseuds/RobNips
Summary: “There are legends around red eyes. Children that will come from the woods. It’s said that they’ll attract Grimm, and bring only misery.”Even the craziest legends and fairy tales come from somewhere.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because if RT won't give up a full STRQ backstory, I'll do it myself

_Children with red eyes,_

_No mother to be seen,_

_Wander into villages, what should be a warning, but they tell only lies_

 

_Children with red eyes,_

_Coming from the woods, the people only scowled._

_Unfortunate, their home burned, the kids and soon their own,_

_No help came, for they at first they saw only Grimm who howled._

 

_Children with red eyes,_

_Became hungry, tired and scared,_

_And brought the monsters they mirrored._

_They got back at those who scorned them, every one unprepared_

 

_Children with red eyes,_

_Watched the uncaring burn._

_They cannot exist in this world,_

_To the woods, with the monsters, they returned._

 

“That’s just a story, love.” Tawny assured her children as she tucked them into bed for the night. A pat on the covers and a kiss on her son’s head, then the same motion for her daughter. “To show that we need to take care of each other, as humanity.”

It wasn’t in her nature to leave anyone out in the cold, even two scrawny looking eight year olds with matching red eyes. Quiet, they sure were, but Tawny understood. They’d been through something terrible, she assumed. How else would they find themselves alone all the way out in the woods to this village? She let them warm up by their fire and something to eat, with a makeshift bed on the floor until she could figure something out for them.

“But they came from the woods.” Her son pointed out, concern deep in his voice.

The mother rolled her eyes, but smiled lovingly. “Everyone comes through the woods to get out here, you know that. They need a home, just like you, and me, and anyone else passing through our village.” She blew them one last kiss before hovering her hand over the light switch. “They won’t be here for long, and you’ll see how that’s just a myth.” She promised, flicking off the lights and leaving her children to sleep.

Tawny made her way down the stairs, and didn’t curse when the knob on the newel post broke off. She blamed her husband’s rushed woodworking. When he returned from hunting, Tawny planned to have a word about the state of their house. She checked on her two small guests, unaware that they were only pretending to be asleep by the fire. She hoped they would end up okay, as a mother she couldn’t imagine how two kids ended up alone and somehow survived, but the story would have to wait. She left them be to get ready for bed.

She didn’t think about the children downstairs when she heard the screams from outside, only about her own. She didn’t realize that any of the kids were not in her home as she raced outside to see her village burning. With half their hunters gone, the fires spiraled out of control faster than anyone could realize. Tawny didn’t expect the bandits that came to sack what was left of their village. She didn’t think about the Grimm that swarmed the village until it was too late.

Tawny didn’t know that the same twins she opened her doors to opened the gates to her village. She didn’t know their manipulation that night earned them their names.

* * *

The twins were given the names Qrow and Raven, chosen by the chief of the Branwen tribe. She didn’t usually test more than one Hatchlings at a time, but those two stayed together since they were picked up, and were getting old enough to be named anyway. The girl was smart, strong, and even at a young age knew what she had to do. The boy was stubborn, still had to learn to hold his tongue, but skilled, had a sharp eye and was careful with his actions. 

And maybe Chief Rauch just liked the irony of it all.  

“Give them a hell of a welcome.” She told the rest of the tribe. They did, though the twins went mostly unnoticed as the adults celebrated their own way.  

The Branwen Tribe was known throughout west Anima. For simple villagers, it was a reputation of brutality. For other bandits they happened to have peace with, it was a reputation for celebrations.

 Their method of sacking villages simple, brutal, but effective. Very few lived through a raid by them, but enough to spread crazy legends. Though only Branwens themselves knew of worse tribes lurking among the woods. Only Branwens had lived to tell about the horrors others could commit against unknowing travelers. They were brutal, but they prided themselves on knowing they weren’t entirely animals. They weren’t Grimm.

The Branwen Tribe lasted as long as they had because of their standards. They’re name was known because of these as well. Villages were raided for their resources, kids only taken when they were needed. Any average villager who died protecting their own was worthy of a respectful death, but that didn’t mean they received one. Branwens respected the sky, more than any fancy Mistrali-born could claim. They protected each other against any outsider who dared to think they could take them, though within the Tribe there were certain...standards that everyone had to uphold.

As one grew older, born into the Tribe or not, strength was required. As was service. Anything that was necessary for the Branwens to survive was done, anyone who couldn’t keep up was left. Anyone who left - or tried to - were either cast out to try and somehow survive on their own, alone in woods. Or if deemed a liability, slaughtered soon enough. Some could enter into the Tribe at an older age, beyond the possibility of forgetting who they used to be, if they could prove themselves, and deal with the reputation of being an outsider. Not many grew to old age, but the stubborn ones that did made sure that what made the Branwens strong were respected.

For now, none of that concerned the twins. They were named, they were Branwens. They would move from sleeping in the unnamed tent to the Fledglings’, those with names, but haven’t gone through Trial yet. The tribe had four unnamed Hatchlings, and now five Fledglings with the twins moving up. The oldest Fledgling, Kahel, looked after the twins now. Kahel was born into the Tribe. The others were Clemai, and Livia.  

They were taught how to hunt, mostly rabbits, any deer they were lucky enough to find, and fish. They were taught how to swim, as a part of fishing. Kahel made the chores fun, when the adults weren’t over their shoulders.

She taught them how to fend off Grimm, if they came across one. Nothing big, they were still too small for any real weapons. You only got your own after your first Trial, if you lived.

They ate with the rest of the tribe. They got slightly better pickings when Raiders came back from a village, or a hijacked train. At night, around fires, they were told stories. The older members talked about the terrors of the Great War, how even far out in the woods the Grimm seemed to feel all of Remnant’s fear. Raven asked about the Tribe’s stories. They surrounded daring Grimm battles, old raids, and memorable Trials. Raven and Qrow, hearing the stories, only imagined what their right of passage would entail, though it wouldn’t be for years.

Qrow seeked out the few members who weren’t raised by the tribe, to hear about other kingdoms. Harsh Vaccuo deserts, cold Mantel winters, one Faunus even told him about the island Menagerie. Another, Dayyo, an old ram, scoffed at the idea, and told him about dust mines, how Faunus usually lived out in the world. 

When she realized Qrow wouldn’t leave her alone, Dayyo brought him into her tent. Told him more legends, old songs, fairytales. How they were all bullshit, but all came from somewhere. Told him about everywhere she had been, the exciting things she’s seen, as well as the horrifying.   

Kahel showed them dust, what little she could get her hands on. On a hot day, ice dust was in high demand around the Tribe, but she managed to get a small bag to freeze a cup of water in front of them and the other fledglings. From the little demonstration, Raven took whatever she could get her hands on. What she couldn’t, she spied on the adults that used it.

When they were ten, they could start scavenging. A few days after raids, when the Grimm and fires were gone. Whatever was left in the villages could be theirs, if it was worth keeping in camp. Their first time, Chief Rauch joined the Fledglings. Raven saw Qrow standing over a woman still breathing, a wall on top of her. Rauch stabbed her with her Jian when she passed. 

“She should’ve died with the others.” The chief sighed, moving on through the village. 

Raven followed the woman, Kahel saw Qrow hesitate, staring at the body. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s only bad the first time.” The older girl assured him with a whisper, moving on to another area.

There were more bodies littered throughout, the bell tower was still smoking in the center of the town. Kahel dragged a sword to the horse cart, metal she could melt down for the blacksmiths. Livia took blankets, she tossed one to Qrow when she saw he had nothing but whetstone.

It was a rare find, but Raven brought back a few dust crystals she found in some cabin’s drawer. Rauch seemed impressed when she noticed, dust was not something easily missed during an actual raid. She let the girl have it, warning Kahel to not let her blow anything up.

Neither of them would unlock their auras until they were older, or find their semblances, or forge their weapons. They did what the tribe told them to do - for the most part - and learned what they could. Raven and Qrow survived, along with the rest of their tribe. No one mentioned their red eyes, though the song would come up every once in a while for various reasons. 

For now, they were just Fledglings. Children. No one in the Branwen Tribe would think much of them until later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super cryptic writing style because I can never seem to nail a first chapter with details in it. Hopefully this won't be entirely wrong as soon as Vol 6 starts airing. And this will hopefully end up being an actual chronological fic and not just a random collections of scenes I want (though it will have some of that, too, just hopefully in order). This will go up to when they're sent to Beacon and if I can still write anything by then, maybe a sequel going past that. I do have a few OCs in this, and I hope they're not overbearing, but I do need background characters, and the focus will always be on the twins! 
> 
> Some random head canons that deal this first chapter:  
> 1\. The Branwen Tribe had been around way before Qrow and Raven were picked up by it. Any kids raised by the tribe were given Branwen as a last name (and later in life Qrow would hate that he's known by it). To try and adhere to "That's how I got my name" from Vol 4, children are known as Hatchlings until they earned their name. The name they get come from either what they did to earn it, or something that suits them.  
> (1.1) Kahel earned her name for starting a fire in a village that spread so far through the woods, it's said that all people could see for miles was orange.  
> (1.2) Every reoccurring tribe member's name follows the color rule. Any side characters names are usually anagrams of a particular character trait
> 
> 2\. Once you get your name, you're a Fledgling. When you're 13-14 year old, you have to prove yourself again in a trial, which could be any level difficulty. Some are designed to be impossible. If you succeed, you can forge your own weapon.
> 
> 3\. After one's Trial and they mastered their weapon, they can start going on raids with the rest of the adults. You're not considered a Fledgling anymore. Older members can choose Fledglings to train personally as wards to either help with their weapon or just specialty crafts within the tribe.
> 
> 4\. Remnant is filled with 'legends and fairy tales'. People associate red eyes with the Grimm. One legend tells the story of kids mistreated because of their eyes, and eventually turn into Grimm because of the negative energy surrounding them (shown by my terrible poetry and definitely maybe inspired by GoT songs).
> 
> 5\. Raven was always more comfortable with violence in the tribe than Qrow was, but he grew used to it out of necessity. Qrow's doubt/discomfort will ultimately be what splits them apart later. Along with many other things
> 
> Also, even I don't know when to properly capitalize things. It's all aesthetic.


	2. Chapter 2

By the time they were twelve, they were used to villages burning. They were fastest at starting the fires. Qrow’s always seem spread quickly, while Raven spotted the best targets. Set one house ablaze, most of the neighbors went to help, and soon the empty houses were suddenly burning too. By the time the villagers realized all their homes were turning to ash, the tribe was already inside.

The twins didn’t stick around for very long. Their job was done, and they’ll be back after the Grimm leave tomorrow to scavenge with the rest of the younger tribe members. In the chaos of a raid it was easy to slip back into the woods and find each other.

It also helped that Raven seemed to know exactly where Qrow was when it was time for them to leave.  

The village of Yarrant was a large one, though most of it was still being built. A small marketplace separated two residential areas. The people who did live there were close together, and had enough resources between them to be greatly beneficial to the tribe. That closeness of the villagers though, went underestimated. There were many more than willing to fight back when they realized what was happening.

Raven ran from the small cabin as soon as the flame caught, smoke already filling the air and screams echoing around her. Bells tolled from a tower, a man ran through the streets, warning of bandits, for any mothers to run while they could. Raven hid behind a stone wall, one hand gripping the knife Kahel gave her. The man shouting warnings was soon cut off, Raven watched as the chief cut off his head in one swing of her sword. The rest of the tribe was right behind, but not all villagers ran scared.

One man with an axe ran, roaring, towards the chief. It took Rauch and  two other bandits to kill him. Raven backed to the walls of the village, staying out of sight until she could find Qrow and get back to the camp. With all these people the grimm would be here any minute.

From the smoke in the air, she heard the kid she tripped over before she saw him. She landed hard on the ground, scrambling for her knife to turn on the boy, not too much younger than herself. He was curled against the wall of the village, sobbing as he stared at Raven. She felt sorrow for him, if for nothing else, not dying peacefully. She’s seen the burned in beds while scavenging, Kahel told her that most of the kids breathe in the smoke before the tribe even arrives. What this boy was doing out of bed made her more curious than it should have.

“Huntsman!”

The same call from a tribesman that filled the boy with hope struck Raven with fear. She saw his eyes light up, looking through the smoke as if the huntsman were coming directly to save him. She tightened her grip on the knife, crawling away from the boy.

“Raven!” Kahel’s hands grabbed her shoulders out of nowhere, hauling the younger girl to her feet. “We have to go, Gris is trying to take out the huntsman, but we’re not helping by staying. Grimm'll be here any minute.” Kahel looked to the boy behind Raven, then the small area around them. “Where’s Qrow?”

Raven shook her head, Kahel tugged her forward to move through the smoke. “I haven’t found him yet!” She yelled over the noise.

The older girl's steps stuttered for just a moment. “I’m sure he’s found his way out already.” She tried to reassure.

Raven almost didn’t hear her, looking frantically around the burning village. Something in her gut told her that he didn’t. She was sure of it. Bandits and villagers alike raced past them as they neared the other side of the town. One raging man came towards the girls, Raven gripped her knife, but the blast from Kahel’s gun stopped him before she had to use it. The older girl ran again, Raven followed close.

They reached the edge of the village, Kahel not slowing her pace to retreat back into the woods. Raven skidded to a halt on the stone ground, looking back to the fires and screaming. One house collapsed in flames, a horse galloped past her into the woods. A Branwen pulled his sword from a father's stomach, shoving the body aside. Another scrambled to pick up coins strewn over the ground before racing out of the Yarrant. Past the scene under the bell tower the Huntsman cut down most who tried to come at him, but more kept coming.

“Keep going,” she told Kahel. “I’m finding Qrow.”

She ignored Kahel’s attempts to stop her, racing back into the village. Every speck of common sense in her mind told her how stupid it was. Qrow never had trouble getting out before, he’d find his way out on his own. She knew he wasn’t in the woods, he was still here, inside, she knew.

“Qrow!” Raven screamed as she ran. She kept her eyes towards the edge of the village, looking through smoke where he could’ve been hiding. She barely looked directly in front of her, immediately causing her to run head on into Rauch. The chief turned with her bloody sword raised as Raven fell backwards from the impact.

Rauch barely had time to jerk her swing to the left to miss her. The girl was obviously too young to be in the middle of a raid, but still part of her tribe. “What are you still doing here?” The growl had Raven scrambling backwards, but the scene from the corner of her eye caught both of their attention.

Over thirty yards away, Qrow was thrown to the ground by a rather large man, screaming his throat out about the heartlessness of bandits, the loss of everything he had, everything he earned and loved. Raven didn’t hear what the man was screaming about, only saw the cleaver he had raised over her brother. Raven didn’t hear Rauch’s order to stop as she started to run.

Raven didn’t know how she was suddenly between her brother and the villager with only a flash of red and black. She only saw knife buried in his belly as he stared at her with shock.

The shock quickly turned to anger in the villager's eyes. Raven pulled the blade out of his stomach and sank it back into his chest. He fell back with his arm still raised above his head.

“Rae…” Qrow’s voice pulled away from her first real kill. Raven jumped at the red and black, swirling hole in the air. Another was open just feet away from where Rauch stood, rare shock plain on her face. When Raven stepped back, the portals coiled smaller until they were gone. Rauch’s shock twisted into something else, but she turned away before Raven could really see it. The chief ordered the few tribesmen who witnessed what happened to keep raiding.

When she turned back to the twins, they were already running, out of the village, into the woods back to the camp.

* * *

The chieftain called Raven to her tent when they returned to camp in the morning.

“You like tea?” Rauch offered her. Raven shrugged from her spot on the ground.

“Never had any.”

“That sounds right.” The chief handed her a cup with an intricate design. “It’s hot.” She warned, Raven blew on it carefully. “So, how did you do that?”  

She asked the question as if Raven had done something wrong. Rauch sat directly across from her, teacup for herself in hand. She didn’t take her eyes off Raven, and waited patiently for an answer.

Raven looked behind her shoulder, to the teacup, anywhere but the chief. “I don’t know.”

Rauch scoffed, leaning forward. “How old are you?”

“Twelve.”

“Twelve,” she repeated, sipping from her cup. “Not a lot of people in this tribe unlock their aura, let alone find their semblance. You did it at twelve.”

Raven swallowed as Rauch stared at her. “I didn’t….mean to.”

“No, probably not.” The chieftain laughed, nodding her head. “You’re not the only one who has a semblance.” With a sigh, she set her cup down. “Do you know how many people that huntsman killed last night?” Raven shook her head. “Seventeen. He gave two others wounds that they will die from soon enough. Dayyo's good at stitching people together, but she's doesn't work miracles. That’s nineteen. Huntsman like to think they’re above people like us, but they’re just as ruthless. If they’re paid, they’ll kill just the same as we do.”

Raven stayed quiet, tracing her finger around the rim of the teacup. “Why are you telling me this?”

Rauch only smiled at the girl. "You knew there was a huntsman in Yarrant, like everyone else did. You were free at the edge of that gate, and you ran right back in."

"For my brother."

"For a member of this Tribe." She spun. “I want to train with you. Expand on what you can do. After you’re old enough to go through Trial, we’ll see about what else you can do for the tribe.”

Raven was dismissed before she could say anything, the realization sinking in after she left the tent. The thought of training directly under their leader made her look over her shoulder before allowing the smile to cross her face.

* * *

Exploration with her semblance went on for months. She learned to meditate on her aura, using defensively at first, and through training discovered it’s offensive possibilities. Raven found she was good with a weapon, better with a blade, and was overpowering older members of the tribe in weeks.

The portals, however, led to less desirable results. They were always to Qrow. No matter how hard or long she practiced. No matter how much she focused on somewhere ( _any_ where, any _one_ ) else, and no matter how far apart they were kept, it was always the same.

When not training with Rauch or any other adult, Raven still practiced. When Dayyo suggested to her that maybe it’s only to Qrow for a reason, and Raven should start thinking about _that_ , she believed the old woman. With all the ridiculous stories Dayyo told her brother, Raven was desperate enough to try it, maybe find some sort of answer. She concentrated on Qrow when no one would notice. She always had suspicions about her bond with her brother, but she assumed it was natural. Very few people in the tribe were blood related, and they were twins. Of course Raven could guess what he was feeling, where he was.

When those ‘guesses’ turned to actually knowing, it only made the portals come more easily. Raven felt exactly what Qrow did, when she concentrated. His fear, determination, anger, love. It became familiar, the subtle looks into his soul. She stopped trying to go deeper when Rauch turned her attention to Qrow, and his anger started to bleed into her thoughts at any time of the day.    

The experimentation Rauch had with Qrow yielded nothing at all. Being twins, Rauch considered the possibility of having the same semblance, as anyone would, but all theories fell short. He fought just as well as his sister, after being put through similar training. His aura was easy to unlock, just as easy to integrate into fighting. He was fast, with a blade and as a learner, but no portals. No _anything_. She pushed him harder, almost as hard as she had with Raven. Qrow showed off his mouth, earning him a few harsh lessons, but still nothing came of it. After weeks of thinning patience, and one round of training that left her with an inexplicably shattered sword, Rauch left him alone.

She considered giving up altogether on the twins, but they had progressed tremendously. For her age, Raven was a strong fighter. Still small, but she’ll grow. Qrow was fast, and if not strong enough to win, smart enough to figure a way out of his trouble. When placed against another Fledgling, he may hold back. Raven did not have this issue, she needed to show her skill. If she kept on this track, Rauch was sure she’d make the perfect leader. The chief couldn’t play favorites for too much longer, the others in the tribe were noticing. Raven would have to prove herself worthy of the treatment, sooner or later.   

* * *

Dayyo’s frown deepened as she looked between the two hands of cards. “This is just impossible.” She scoffed. The woman didn’t _never_ lose, but getting four bad hands in a row was just ridiculous.

Qrow only grinned, pulling his winnings towards his end of the table, mindful of the dust Dayyo threw in at the last minute. “Just keep getting lucky, I guess.” The boy shrugged, and scratched the back of his neck, feeling something like a chill run down his spine. He pocketed the Lien he'd won from the Faunus.

It’s not like Dayyo had little to lose. The tribe hadn’t moved camp in almost two years, but it wasn’t common to have a lot of belongings. Dayyo didn’t seem to care, as she kept everything she could find. Useful things, medical supplies and clothes, dust, stitching needles, knives. She kept buckets full of trinkets from raids scattered around her tent. Things like nails, candles, pieces of cloth too small to be useful, even gears from clocks.

Qrow saw it as helpful when he wins. Less for her to needlessly hold on to. “One more?”

Dayyo gritted her teeth, eyes on still on the cards in disbelief. She huffed, and Qrow reached for the bottle between them, only a quarter of the liquor left. “No.” She grabbed the neck of the bottle, tugging it away from his grip. He grimaced, not like she had little of alcohol to give up, either. “Rauch smells that on you before the raid tomorrow it’ll be both our asses.”

“Like she’ll notice.” Qrow rolled his eyes, leaning back on his hands. “I’m just scavenging tomorrow, anyway.”

The old Faunus hummed, twisting the silver ring around her index finger. “Demoted, huh?”

“Because the last raid I was at went _so_ well, I guess.”

Dayyo smacked her lips dismissively. “Maybe Chief’d like you better if you didn’t open your smart mouth when she swings a sword at you and actually gets a knick in.”

Qrow scoffed.

“They always leave the something good behind for the scavengers, anyway. Raids go too quick, don't have the eyes to catch the useful things.” She poured herself another drink from the bottle still in hand, but sighed at Qrow’s shrug. “Don’t pout. Your sister saved you more than once by unlocking her semblance. Rauch spent enough time training both of you, it’d be a waste to get rid of you now.”

“And we hate to be wasteful.” Qrow scoffed, gesturing to her things scattered around the tent.

“Laugh with the rest of them,” Dayyo warned, shaking the bottle at him. “You’ll need many of these things. 'S why someone has to keep them.”

“Let me know how much you keep when Rauch decides we’re moving.”

“That’s why we have Fledglings like you.” Dayyo gave him her best shit-eating grin, earning a scowl in return. “Go on and get out of here, I’m not playing your little, cheating ass anymore.”  

“I don’t cheat!” Qrow defended.

“Right. Just a jinx.” Dayyo scoffed, finishing what was left in the bottle. She must have seen the anger show in his expression, as she held a scolding finger out at him.

“Fine, fine.” Qrow held up his hands, not waiting to hear what she had to say about his temper. His anger at the Faunus left as quickly as it came. “I still won.” Dayyo gathered up her cards with a sigh as Qrow gathered his winnings, the few dust crystals shedding flakes onto the ground.

“Don’t set the camp on fire with that stuff.” Dayyo gave him one last warning, which Qrow only shrugged at, before he left the tent.

The rest of the camp was quiet at this time of night, especially with a raid tomorrow. Not many villages were left in the area, and it’d of course take a while for more to settle down. Yarrant was planned to be the last raid before the tribe moved, though Raven’s sudden discovery and the damages to their number the huntsman did was reason enough to stay. One last hit for supplies tomorrow and they’ll scatter to some other part of Anima. Before villagers start getting smart and hiring more huntsman to stick around, or worse, go looking in the woods for them.

Qrow stepped carefully around the tents. One experience of tripping over a peg was enough to make him move with more caution. Quietly, he stepped into the Fledglings’ tent, most of the kids asleep. He saw Raven’s eyes in the dark before he could make out the rest of her, legs hanging off the side of the cot with her chin in his hands.

“Didn’t think you’d be up.” He said quietly, tossing her a dust crystal.

Raven caught it easily, barely glancing towards him as she sighed,  turning the dust over in her palms. “Where’d you even get this?”

Qrow emptied his pockets of the other handful of crystals, and laid them on her bed. “You’re welcome.” He whispered back. He sat on his own bed, pushing off his shoes and stuffing the Lien he won into the seams. Raven stayed quiet, still staring at nothing in particular. “Why _are_ you up?”

“Thinking.” She answered vaguely.

“Oh…” Qrow held his hands up mockingly, though she couldn’t see through the dark. “I forgot. You’re pretending to be the leader now. Very important. Gotta be so sure of everything you do.” Qrow barely dodged the boot flying towards his head from Raven. “Temper, sister.”

“It’s _your_ fault.”

He frowned. “I thought you stopped spying on me?”

“It’s not spying. And I can’t help it. It just...happens.” Raven sighed, burying her head in her hands. She turned slightly towards him, softly, “I don’t know how to block it completely. I don’t know if I should. It could be helpful.”

“I don’t know.” Qrow snorted, settling in his bed with his arms behind his head. “It’s not like I’m stuck scavenging forever, if that’s what you’re worried about. I don’t need you around me all the time.”

“It’s not that.” She murmured, swinging her legs to be crossed on the bed. The shoe that came flying past her face stopped anything else that would have come from her mouth.

“Will you two _shut up?_ ” Clemai groaned from across the tent, turning in his bed to go back to sleep. Qrow followed suit, making himself comfortable on the cot.

Raven only sighed as she laid back in bed. She should get sleep, it wouldn’t be long until she catching homes on fire. For the time without her brother nearby. A part of her thought that that should put her at ease, even more so because of the easy escape it would make. Just a portal away from camp, if Qrow did what he was told and stayed.

Another part of her knew the reason Rauch was starting to separate them. To make sure she wasn’t distracted. Or to see if she would run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite trope to come out of V5 is Raven discovering her semblance by saving Qrow's ass. Other notes dealing with chapter:
> 
> 1\. The 'huntsman ruining raids' thing isn't new, and the idea of sending a tribe member to combat school has been Rauch's plan for a while. She just needs to decide who.
> 
> 2\. Favoritism from a tribe leader doesn't look great with "the weak die, the strong live" motto. Rauch will make sure Raven (and eventually Qrow) prove themselves before completely praising either of them. Raven discovering her semblance on her own does earn her respect, though
> 
> 3\. Semblances are not common in the tribe. They don't usually need them, when attacking innocent villagers, but it's not looking down upon. Raven was only nervous when Rauch called her out on it because of intimidation. 
> 
> Some character descriptions because I never actually described what they look like:  
> Rauch is very tall, with short braided dark red hair, and three claw-like scars from her chin down to her chest below her neckline. He weapon is a basic Jian sword with a fire and smoke design carved into the handle, and a red/black scarf/bandanna tied to the handle that Raven might be donning later in life..
> 
> Dayyo is a ram faunus, horns similar to the animal at the crown of her head. One horn has a scar deep into the bone near her skin. She's just getting to age people consider elderly in the Tribe, around 55, acts as the Tribes medic (as close to one as they can get) and believes too many stories that can't all be real. She has dark blue hair braided to reach the middle of her back. Doesn't like to admit she is a grumpy mom. That person who keeps everything. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Raven watched as the last of what could fit on the last cart was loaded. Their last raid earned the tribe seven horses, and moving would put them to good use. Better to save any tents and defenses they had. Anything that didn’t fit on the carts, goes on your back. Anything not on your back, gets left behind.

Watching her poor brother argue back and forth with Dayyo for half the day would’ve been funny if she didn’t have to quite literally experience his frustration first hand.

Fledglings didn’t have much besides their shared tent, which was valuable enough to be loaded on a cart. Most of everything else in the camp was deconstructed, leaving random canvases and posts lying around. The frames they had for cots would be too heavy, they were left behind. No more beds, not until they found something else suitable. The walls surrounding Raven seemed higher when they guarded nothing. Someone whistled in her direction. They were leaving.

The Chief already had the tribe’s route planned, to go northwest unbothered, if the scouts were right. Half of the tribe’s fighters were already settled in their new camp. The other half were the Hatchlings and Fledglings, Rauch and the rest of the fighters. The journey would only take a few weeks. Travel in a tight caravan, camp for the night and pray for scarce Grimm.

She found Qrow easily, near the center of the line. “Saying goodbye?” He teased.

“To the dirt? No.” Raven rolled her eyes, shoving him by the large pack he carried on his back. “How much did the goat trick you into carrying?” She peeked inside the bag. “A good slap on the back on the head?”

He shrugged. “Dayyo says we’ll need them.”

“Dayyo also says that she met the same man twice in a different body.”

“Well, when you want to try and argue with her, let me know.” Qrow smiled as she laughed. “I thought you’d be following Rauch like a dog the whole time.”

“I’m not.” Raven huffed. “I always walk with you.” Though she had been spending most of her days with the Chief. The woman taught her everything she could, from swordplay to astronavigation. Their little lessons were kept short and sweet, only coming around when the opportunity for one presented itself. But it wasn’t like she was a dog.

“Girl.” Gris stopped the twins in their tracks, the second-in-command’s presence was demanding enough to gain anyone attention. Gris nodded with his thick head to the front of the caravan. “Chief wants you.”

Raven rolled her eyes at Qrow’s look of self-satisfaction and chose to keep her mouth shut this time. It was better not to dignify her brother’s teasing with a response as she followed Gris.

Travelling to a new camp was relatively boring anyway, only stopping for the night, and rarely making a camp. So Raven didn’t complain about any potential training with their leader. Qrow could keep himself entertained, and if anything was ever really wrong, she would be there in a second. The worst that happened while moving were maybe a few hungry days when food ran thin.

As time went on, and Anima’s northern forests became a little thinner, wildlife a little scarcer, those days of hungry were starting to catch up with everyone. The rain started once they got north of Lake Matsu. It rained over the tribe seemingly endlessly, making any creature that would have made for good food even rarer. By the end of the second week, what food they had stored was soaked by the rain, whatever was left, they found filled with worms.

They weren’t strangers to hunger, but hike a few days without food and anyone will get hostile. Especially groups like them. Rauch had her method of keeping peace when fights happened to break out.

The two most recent offenders sat facing each other now, some of the tribe setting up a makeshift camp for the night, the rest watched. The rain pattered down on them, as it had for what seemed like weeks. Raven found Qrow with a few other Fledglings, watching.

“How long do you think they’ll take?” He wondered to her aloud. “Over or under, three hours?”

“Under.” She answered, taking a seat. She was thankful for his casualty, despite being apart for most of their journey. “As soon as it’s night the cold’ll get them. They’ll drop just to get under something warm.”

“Guess I’ll say over, then.” Qrow hummed, turning back to the standoff. The two men who had started a small fight a few hours before sat in the middle of the circle that formed around them. They held their own weapons out in front of them, arms straight and unshaken, for now. One had an old standard sword, the other had a machete. Rauch sat between the two, a thick quilt around her shoulders as she watched.

It was the same punishment every time, anyone starting a fight forced to hold their weapons out until one of them got tired and dropped, thus taking the blame. The longest two ever sat was over a full day. Depending on how serious a fight the cause for punishment was, the reasoning behind it, and sometimes whatever the Chief’s mood was, determined the loser’s discipline. Sometimes, it was lots of shitty guard shifts. Others it was physical. Though, sometimes, just sitting out in the cold and everyone watching some sorry ass mull over their own stupidity was enough. If someone really made a mess of things, the Tribe would make an event out of the standoff. Betting, taunting, singing, anything to annoy the competitors, when they deserved it.

Right now, with the rain, and cold, and everyone’s hungry stomachs, the mood was sour. People watched because there was nothing else to do. Humiliation for them would probably be enough of a punishment for both the men.

“Nobody likes Grimm, boys. You know that. You know any idiot throwing a punch for some dumb reason can bring them.” Rauch picked dirt from her nails as she spoke. The two men didn’t budge.

“Yes, ma’am.” One holding the machete answered.

“Then why the hell am I sitting out in the damn rain watching two idiots stare at each other?” The two idiots were smart enough not to answer. “Greeney?” The leaned towards the man with the sword before doing the same towards the other. “Wyn?” Rauch just shook her head, falling back into silence and the tribe talked amongst themselves again.

Raven watched for a while longer. Once the sun had set most people gone to their makeshift shelters, away from the rain and starting whatever fire they could as the cold set in. Still, the two sat. Raven sighed, nudging Qrow with her shoulder. “I’m going to sleep.”

“I’ll tell you who wins.” He promised, watching her go find the Fledglings before turning back to the standoff. More people left the circle, only Qrow and a few others were left. He dug his heel into the dirt, upturning a few pebbles. He rolled them between his hands, before tossing one at the man with the machete, Greeney. The pebble bounced off of the back of his head.

“Boy,” He warned, turning his head just enough to glare at Qrow, who only shrugged.

Another stretch of time passed. Someone brought Rauch a clean blanket. They were getting close to three hours, a little more and Qrow could say he was right in his bet with Raven. Though as the rain picked up again, he started to care less about bragging rights. He put his lips together and started whistling some tune he heard some older men sing, more out of boredom than actually trying to egg on the two in the circle.

Rauch sighed heavily, running a hand down her face. Qrow kept whistling, Wyn’s arms started to shake. Qrow repeated his song,  a clap of thunder shook the ground and cut him off. Rauch gave him a questioning look, but ultimately didn’t care why the boy decided to sit out and watch. He was one with an activated aura, keeping him warm enough to stand the cold. Most likely too hungry to sleep.

A flash of lightning and another loud boom of thunder had Wyn shaking his head. “Fuck it.” He sneered and dropped his weapon.

“Finally.” Rauch rolled her eyes, and within a second had her Jian drawn, slitting open the back of Wyn’s arm. A minor punishment, ultimately, but added injury to insult. The man cursed, wrapping what he could around his arm. Greeney wasted no time finding his way to a shelter, not even gloating in victory. “Don’t ever waste my time like this again.”

Qrow sighed, Rauch didn’t even glance down as she passed him, finding her own shelter someone undoubtedly made for her. He stayed put for a minute or two longer, but for what Qrow didn’t really know. He knew he wouldn’t sleep well anyway.

* * *

Raven blew the hair out of her face, rain finally slowed down as the sky opened up. Pass the mountains now, it was at least easier ground to hike on. Someone had tossed a few berries her way this morning, but hunger still twisted in her stomach. Raven drifted further behind Rauch, the chief seemingly untouched by the lack of food. She carried on leading the caravan, one hand casually resting on the hilt of her sword and the other holding her pack over her shoulder.

It took her longer than it should have to see the figure down the path approaching the tribe. Raven pushed towards the front again, the figures slowly gaining definition. A single man, older, a herd of cattle behind him, and another, younger man, at the back. Rauch held up a hand to keep everyone back, the caravan stopping as she approached the rancher.

The old man waved to the other at the back of the cattle, and calmly approached Rauch with nothing but his prod and a smile. “Evening.” He nodded as a greeting. Raven decided he was either overly confident, or just stupid. “We haven’t seen another soul for days. Not a lot of people travel during the rainy season”

Raven heard their leader chuckle. “For as long as we’ve lived here, you’d think I’d know when not to move an entire camp of people.”

“The sky’s been tricky to read in the past few months.” The old man chuckled. “You all are headin’ north too. With this rain, I can’t imagine what winter will be like.”

“Guess we’ll have to survive that, too. My people are good at that, if nothing else.”

“Strength in numbers.” He offered as a reassurance, nodding to the tribe behind her. “I’m sure no one will give you any trouble. Especially not simple people like us.” He sighed, looking back at the herd and shook his head. “I’ve walked these creatures down this road too many times to count. Guess I’d have to run into some trouble eventually.”

Rauch hummed. “Sounds like you’ve been very lucky.”

“Yes.” He sighed again. “Will you let him live?” The rancher pointed to the boy in the back, the cattle stirring as swords were unsheathed by the tribe. “Not the fighting kind of man, has a baby girl, down where we were going.”

“I think that sounds fair.” Rauch nodded. The old rancher offered his gratitude, though she didn’t actually promise him anything, and didn’t feel it when the chief’s blade slashed his throat. The cattle bustled awkwardly away from the scene, but the small path offered nowhere for the animals to go.

The chief turned back to her tribe, wiping the blood from her blade before sheathing it. “Make sure he gets burned and that the in the back dies fast. Start some fires, set up for the night.”

* * *

Qrow shook his head the third time the Hatchling grabbed the cart to steady himself. The rain had let up, past few days it was pouring buckets. Storm clouds stayed overhead, but only a few drops here and there fell on them now as the tribe walked. Qrow had stayed near the other Fledglings in the caravan, the few Hatchlings scattered about. He kept his eye on the boy in front of him, trudging along slower with every step.

When the kid stumbled again Qrow sighed to himself. He looked over his shoulder before setting down the pack on the cart, grabbing the Hatchling’s shoulder to right him. “What’s wrong with you?”

The boy wiped his nose with his sleeve, shrugging absently. “I don’t know.”

“You’re not a good liar.” Qrow huffed a laugh. He wasn’t surprised, the boy couldn’t be more than six. It had to be the first time he moved with the Tribe. Qrow checked once more over his shoulder before crouching, letting the boy climb on his back. “You’ll get left behind if you can’t keep up.”

“I know..” He sighed, resting his head on Qrow’s shoulder. “I think I’m sick.”

“You’re not sick.” Qrow kept the scold quiet to not draw attention to them. “You’re just tired. And hungry.” He shifted the boy on his back. Warm, even as the rain started up again. “And we’re all wet.”

The Hatchling shivered. “Do you know how much farther?”

“No. Maybe another week.” Qrow scoffed. “Do I look like the Chief to you?”  

“No,” he answered with a yawn. “But your sister would know.”

“Do I look like my sister?”

The boy chuckled. “ _Yeah_.”

“Right, I forgot.” Qrow humored him, adjusting his grip on his legs. “Don’t worry about it. All I know is that we’re going north. We’ll set up camp and everything’ll be back to normal.” The boy didn’t say another word. Qrow knew by the even breaths over time that he was asleep, and he let him stay that way. Every now and then he’d glance over his shoulder to make sure no one popped up behind.

The rain picked up again, Qrow convinced himself that the Hatchling on his back was at least a good shield. And he was warm, even in this weather. Maybe a little too warm, but Qrow decided to ignore the thought. The kid can rest, as long no one else noticed. Who knows when they’ll stop, let alone reach their next camp.

The high pitched sound of his sister’s portal forming beside him was enough to pull Qrow out of his thoughts.

“Get off.” He shrugged the Hatchling off of his back to leave him stumbling in the mud. The boy just barely caught himself as Raven walked through her portal. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she looked between the Hatchling rubbing his eyes and Qrow, shaking her head. “There’s food up front. I don’t know how long that’s going to last, but we’re stopping for the night.”

“Thanks.” He glanced down, the Hatchling knew to carry on by himself now. Qrow followed his sister to where two men were shoddily chopping pieces of cattle off the animal and passing it around. People already had fires going, the meat slow cooking. Qrow followed a trail of blood leading off the path, a column of smoke rising from the trees. He knew it was whoever they got these cows from.

When the smell of meat cooking hit him, and said meat was suddenly in his hands, whatever issue he had with the far-off pyre went away. First food he had in over a day. First real meal he had since they left. No one complained it was plain meat. Clemai, Kahel, and Raven has made a spot together, but Qrow drifted around a fire some other members started, they didn't even notice the Fledgling, too involved with their own meal.

Within a few hours the mood that had settled over the Tribe for weeks seemingly vanished. Food made anyone happy. Back to telling stories, joking with each other, passing whoever's flask around to make the jokes seem funnier than they are. At some point Dayyo joined his circle, the first time he's seen her in almost a week, and suddenly it was livelier. 

By the time the sunset, the cold settled in again and people made their beds for the night. It was always easy to sleep with a full stomach. The easiest time Qrow had in weeks.

It made being woken up from a certain feeling spiking up through his back even more jarring.

The feeling was something he had felt before, but smaller, less intense. Like a chill running up his spine, quick and concentrated and often forgotten as soon as it passed, never painful. This, however, was different. Jarring enough to wake him up, like a shock, and the aftermath was a pounding in his head for only a second before it was gone. He groaned, holding his head, and rolled over. The pain dissolved. Almost as quickly as it started, it was gone. Qrow relaxed his shoulders, not realizing they were tensed in the first place, and let out a breath.

He looked around his and Raven’s little shelter. A sad tarp hung over them to protect from the rain, though it hadn’t picked up again since he left the Hatchling. Raven slept soundly beside him, completely unaware of whatever just happened. Maybe it was just her, exploring her semblance at his cost, nothing he wasn’t used to by now, and pretending to be asleep wasn’t the lowest she’d go to deny it. Maybe it was something from a dream, like thinking you’re falling and then jolting awake. Either explanation was better, in his mind, than things that usually happens any other time he feels that chill.

* * *

A kick to her side isn’t the worst way to get woken up, but Raven still didn’t appreciate it. She blinked at the morning sun when hit her eyes as she rolled over. The tarp serving as a shelter was halfway torn down to show Rauch standing over her.

“Get up. Just you. Come on.”

It was the only explanation for the rude awakening Raven was going to get. She twisted to see Qrow still asleep behind her, as dead to the world as any other time he actually slept. Raven sighed and grabbed her knife as she left their makeshift tent. Some of the Tribe was already awake, fires were spread around the little camp, cooking more of the meat from yesterday’s cattle as breakfast.

Raven caught up to Rauch heading off the path, something wrapped in a tarp slung over her shoulder, canteen next to her sword on her hip. The forest up north where they were was thinner. They walked in silence for nearly quarter of a mile and Raven could still see the camp through the trees.

Rauch stopped at a small clearing. Burnt sticks were arranged in a circle, charred bones in the center. Too many to be from one person. They looked older than they were, and brittle enough to be blown away in the wind. Raven recognized the setup, though it was simpler than ones at an established camp would be. A pyre.

“You can thank them for your dinner yesterday.” Rauch nodded to the bones.

“I saw.” Raven said. “You were the one who actually did it.”

“Anyone can kill an old man.” She laid the tarp onto the pile. “I sure as hell don’t have the patience for herding cows. Though sometimes I wish certain people were as agreeable as cattle.”

She sighed heavily, despite joking, and unwrapped the small boy from the tarp. Raven couldn’t think of a name, still a Hatchling. The one Qrow walked with when she found him yesterday.

“What happened?” She asked hollowly.

“Not sure.” The Chief wiped her hands together, before reaching for her canteen. “Other kids said he was slow for a few days. Didn’t eat last night. Then found him like this earlier in the morning.” She drank from the flask before pouring the rest over the body. “Probably just sick, stopped breathing sometime last night. Not the first time it’s happened. Especially with our luck lately.” She capped the flask, pulling out a thin shard of red, fire Dust. “Here, I know your good with that stuff, this isn’t the last time you’ll use it for this.”

Raven caught the crystal Rauch tossed to her. What was implied by lighting the pyre wouldn’t entirely hit her until later, but she did what she was told. Fire caught easily with the alcohol, easier coming from Dust. Rauch backed up from the flames to sit on a rock nearby, Raven did the same opposite of her. They sat in silence, grayish smoke rising

Raven found her eyes kept drifting back to the pyre. The ashes were the important part, she knew that. It was just hard to not concentrate on the body the ashes were coming from.

“Do you know why we burn everyone?” Rauch’s question pulled Raven out of her trance. She was staring at the smoke curling up towards the sky. “Not the stupid stories that goat Dayyo tells scared Hatchlings about the dead coming back. Why we really burn them.”

“I know.” She said. “In the ground you get eaten by worms. Or the soils too hard to dig into and you get dug up and torn apart by Grimm.”

“Yeah.” Rauch nodded, but Raven knew there was something she missed. “Our people should return to the sky.” The Chief scoffed at the look Raven gave her. “No one believes it anymore, probably never did, but the story goes that first Branwens came from the sky. Lived in the north as flocks of birds, then just decided to be human. Scared the hell out of a lot of villagers and lived out in the woods on their own to keep from getting killed. When one died, they’d burn them to return to the sky.”

“Why not just turn back into birds?” Raven rested her chin on her hands, cocking her head towards the pyre. “And not..”

“Don’t know.” She shrugged. “Maybe we used to, then just got too comfortable with the regular old humans and none of us are real Branwens anymore.” Rauch laughed when at the girl’s look. “How many people do you know were born into this family?”

Raven bit her lip. “Ten?” The rest were stolen, young enough to forget where they came from but small enough to depend on the Tribe. She could only think of two or three who joined after, but she never thought to ask why.

“And who the hell cares to remember whether their mother was born here or not?”

“But you still burn them anyway.”

“Maybe I just like the story.” She smirked, stood up from her place on the rock. “Or maybe the ground up north is hard to dig a hole deep enough to bury people in, and no one should get dug up by Grimm.” Rauch started back down the hill, to where the Tribe was already packed to move out, before offering Raven a few last words. “You gotta decide you want to believe.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this isn't abandoned! Hopefully I can keep it that way, and hopefully this wasn't super boring, because not a lot of exciting things happened. But I think about RWBY's whole "bandit tribe" thing a little too much and want it to be super fleshed out even though it definitely won't be, so I'll do it myself. I was also a loyal subscriber to the Branwen Tribe Magic theory before it was killed by having Ozpin be the one to give Qrow and Raven their abilities, but you'll have to rip that out of my cold dead hands so yeah they might have a little magic in them before Oz gets in the picture.  
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, I promise this isn't abandoned. Just a few things in this were....hard to get right. Even so, I might update this later. This is also where I might change my rating? It's all relative, I guess. But it's a long one! This whole story is turning out to be way longer than I expected it to be, actually.  
> Enjoy!

It took a week and a half to reach their new camp. No other losses, no other fights. Everyone just wanted to get home and rest. 

The forest was thick with pine trees, all similar and no way of knowing which way was which once out of sight of the camp. A hill slanted upwards towards the cliffside showed the walls of the camp. The spiked walls that were the Tribe’s usual defenses were already raised, guarding the view of their new camp. The lookout who sat atop the wall whistled when he spotted Rauch and the rest of the Tribe behind her, giving a signal to haul open the gate. 

Raven pushed past the taller tribesmen in front of her to see. A cliff that rose above the tall pines served as a back wall to the camp, a few caves were carved out in its side. Some trees stayed planted within the camp walls, as cover from the cliff above them. The land over the cliff was all tall grass before more forest, and undoubtedly villages beyond that. Some of the caves were already occupied, others were reserved for Rauch or whoever the Tribe knew would claim them anyway. Most of the tents were outside, under the sky, spread along the edge of the cliffside. 

A few couples rushed to greet each other as they arrived, the rest of the Branwens arriving didn’t waste time before pitching their tents. The one who lost his standoff, Wyn, saw that his girl Lahr was pregnant. They seemed happy, though everyone else was indifferent. A rare occurrence, but if any child had someone willing to look after it, and could live to an age to be useful, it wasn’t an issue. Wyn seemed to like her, and that was all that was needed for it to go relatively unnoticed. No one asked about the missing Hatchling boy they had lost along the way. 

* * *

It wasn’t more than a day past when the tribe was settled that Rauch called Kahel for Trial. It was late, Kahel was almost fifteen. Some of the tribesman started to forget she was still even a Fledgling after so long. When she was called to the chief, she gave both Raven and Qrow a smug wink and practically strutted across camp.

A crowd gathered, it’d been a long time since the last Trial. A right of passage, and the pageantry of it all only grew over time. The twins stayed together, able to watch through the gaps as Kahel stood before their leader.

She sat on a rock in front of her cave, sword sheathed across her knees as Kahel approached. Rauch looked her up and down, a small smile on both their faces. “I’ll admit, this is overdue.” The chieftain laughed, loud enough for the rest of the camp to here. “It’s been a busy year. But you,” Rauch shook her finger, a small chuckle escaping her. “Have proven yourself in patience alone.”

“I didn’t think you’d forget about me forever.” Kahel brushed her hair over her shoulder casually. 

Chief smiled again, warm, and didn’t miss how the girl glanced over the Raven as she spoke. “No. I wouldn’t.” She stood, holding her Jian at her side. Rauch jutted her chin towards the wall of the camp, to the forest beyond it. “Some couple has a cabin a few miles from here. Get rid of them. Whatever they have, it’s ours.” 

Kahel grinned and accepted. Someone cheered, it spread through the Tribe as she strode out of the camp. Gris tossed her an axe on the way out, Kahel caught it like it weighed nothing and left the camp behind her with only a wave. 

* * *

It took Kahel three days to come strolling back into camp, like she had just left for a walk.

The axe over her shoulder looked like it had been dipped in blood, now dried a flaky. The toddler clinging to her arm huddled closer as Branwens came out of their tents to see Kahel’s return. He was unharmed, if not scared, but somehow not of the girl who took his parents, presumably. A child to offer as a Hatchling to make up for the one they lost, and so Kahel could say she went the extra mile. She was a Branwen, and committed to seeing more Branwens after her. 

Other Branwens wasted no time to start carousing. Before she got too involved in her own party, Rauch pulled Kahel into her cavern on the side of the cliff. Raven followed, but stayed back through the crowd to not be seen. The canvas that served as a door was thick to keep most winds out, but she could still hear the two inside, hidden. She told herself it wasn’t spying, she needed to know what happened just as much as the Chief did. 

“They give you a lot of trouble?”

She heard Kahel scoff. “Barely. There was only two, but they weren’t fighters. Had some chickens, but nothing else. Some Lien and a store of other food inside. But I don’t get why they were so far from anyone else.” 

“Wishful thinking. If they were safe enough in their little village, they might as well try out here.” 

“People usually aren’t that stupid.” 

“Comfort breeds weakness.” Rauch sighed, and paused. “But they’re dead?”

Rauch’s voice started to soften, Raven shifted behind her rock to hear. She barely heard Kahel’s confident “Yes” before a hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back. 

Qrow laughed at her gasp, gagging when the rock she threw hit his throat. “Oh, c’mon.” He still laughed despite the pain. He threw his hand towards the cavern she was listening to. “ _ This  _ isn’t a good idea.” 

She opened her mouth to chastise, but the stench of alcohol on him caught up to her nose. “How are you drunk? It’s been ten minutes.” 

He wasn’t, but he didn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing that he was only drenched because Gris told him to fuck off and poured his skin full of liquor over his head. “I have talents, too.” He shrugged

“Ruining things. I wanted to hear.” 

He rolled his eyes. “I'm sure it’s all glorious. You weren’t hiding that well, anyway.”

“You did well.” Rauch’s low pitched voice back near the front of her cavern had them both scrambling away from the opening. 

Rauch congratulated Kahel all with warmth in her voice, and offered anything the girl wanted for a weapon as a reward. And to take comfort in knowing she earned her place as a Branwen. The boy she dragged in was kept secluded for over a week before unceremoniously being thrown in with the other Hatchlings. 

No one really even noticed the new boy. Most were still settling in, others were already looking ahead. New land, new villages, new railroads bringing all sorts of prizes. 

After the first cargo transport was hit, they all felt like kings. Kahel cemented her place further by taking part in a successful raid. She spent nearly two weeks holed up with their new materials and an excuse for a blacksmith, crafting her own weapon. As soon as it was finished she practically strutted around camp with it. A hefty mace, spiked at the top and curved blades on either side of it. 

Other supplies and luxuries from the attack were dolled out among the tribe. The train was heading north, to be shipped to Atlas in exchange for who knows what. Most of the cargo was raw materials the Tribe had use for, but some stocked with food, others cloth and furs the Atlesians loved so much in their harsh winters. Someone had grabbed a radio. Per usual, everything was given out to the highest ranks first. Raven somehow found a pair boots to toss at Qrow amidst the chaos. He had to wrestle them back from Clemai a few times. Some other tribesmen took pity on the pregnant girl, and let her have at what she needed.  

Qrow’d only seen a live pregnant woman once, years ago. He only had a vague memory of who it was, none at all of which Hatchling it was, or how it happened. 

“The same way everything comes out of people.” Dayyo told him when he asked. “Except bloodier. And a few other things come out.” She watched, the same as him, when the girl walked past, belly swollen as her time neared. Dayyo laughed when she saw the disgust on Qrow’s face. “There’s a lot worse than that, boy.” 

“How you do know how all that works?” Qrow scoffed, one leg falling off from his perch on the rock.  

“The war.” Dayyo answered gruffly, facing away from him. 

“The Great War? I didn’t think you were that old-”

Dayyo’s hard shove sent him sprawling to the dirt, a foot on his chest. “That’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard.” She practically snarled. “It was a terrible war in a terrible time. I saw the start and I saw the end. Entire cities burned with no chance of survival. Fighters died for some polished Mistrali arts festival. The one who shouted “Fuck the Emperor” were dragged off, never seen again. And stupid boys like you were slaves and sent to fight and die without a second glance.” 

The sudden shift wasn’t surprising. The Faunus was known to go off of rants, mostly about nothing to no one, but never with real anger. Now, her foot felt like it was crushing his chest, Qrow had to wonder if she was always this strong and he just never noticed.  

“The world was burning and humans only got better at making it worse. The only reason we’re not still fighting because some king killed and killed and killed in some desert across the world until the other side bowed to spare themselves. And everyone else had to find new ways of living.” She raised a hand to the camp around them. With a final shove to his chest Dayyo took her weight off his chest, and huffed through her nose. 

Qrow looked up to see a few others watching them, most just curious onlookers, but a few with smirks. It was always entertaining to see someone else get told off. Dayyo ignored them, pushing her way back to the tent.  

Someone filled the space Dayyo left, pointing Qrow towards the caves near the back of camp. He had a smirk, too. 

* * *

Qrow ducked into the Chief’s cavern as he was ordered to. He’d never been in any of her tents before, unlike Raven, but she seemed to already make herself at home in the month they had been here. Candles lit the cave, a rug covered the rocky ground, with weapons and trophies lining the walls. A radio sat beside the bed. A small area was carved out of the walls for a firepit. She had a feathered bed big enough for three, covered in intricate quilts and furs, no doubt from the train.  

Rauch sat in that bed now, tossing one of the quilts over something. Qrow knew the outline of a body, but kept his eyes away from it. 

“You took your time.” She rubbed her forehead, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. 

Qrow rubbed his chest where Dayyo had held him down. “I was doing things….I guess you’re doing things too?” He shrugged, nodding to the lump in her bed.

The Chief let out something between a laugh and a groan, but otherwise ignored the comment. “Gris and some others are off in Martfort west of here, go tell him to come back.” 

“That’s why I got dragged in here?” He frowned, Martfort was nearly five miles away. Too many strangers in a town all at once brought suspicion amongst its people, especially if they come and go from the woods. If Gris was already there, it would be better to leave him.

“Usually, for something like this, I’d make Kahel do it. But she is no longer a Fledgling, and has at least some of my respect. You are not in the same position.” 

“There are three other Fledglings. And if you’re so mad at him-”

“I don’t care.” Rauch cut him off with a glare. “No one knows the Tribe has settled in here yet, if he wants to go whoring around he can, but I need him back here.” 

Qrow openly snorted a laugh. “And what are doing that’s any different?” 

“Gods, you really don’t know when to shut your mouth, do you?” She covered her eyes, and blindly grabbed for a pitcher, larger than Qrow’s head, with something sloshing inside. “I was going offer you this, mostly for the Ram who can’t tell you to piss off - and because he’ll probably kick the crap out of you - but I guess if you don’t do what I told you to do, I can keep my good booze and you can find somewhere outside my camp to sleep for a few weeks?” 

Qrow wasn’t surprised by the threat, but the casual shrug was insulting. 

* * *

How anyone, paid or not, got into bed with someone like Gris Branwen would always be lost on him.

The man could be considered part giant, over 6’5”. He was bald, though he wasn’t old, and Qrow suspected he could probably uproot a tree by himself if he really tried. But with strength came slowness, and he wasn’t particularly cunning in any way to make up for it. 

It was easy enough for Qrow to get into this place, most of the girls ignored him for how young he still was. He may have taken his time getting to the village, though it was only a few miles from camp. It wasn’t often he got sent off alone somewhere, let alone a town. 

He tried to enter quietly. The giant of a man still heard him when he came in, and didn’t even look away from his treasure. “Get out.” 

“I-”

“I just said get out. Walk backwards.” Qrow leaned against the door. The knife came from nowhere, but Gris just held it with oversized fingers, and sent him a glare from the corner of his eye. “I will kill you if you do not leave, boy.”

“Chief’ll kill me if you don’t back, so.” He drummed his fingers against the wood. Two or three girls ran past him, all giggling. “I can wait, but she said it’s important.” he leaned back to watch the girls. 

Gris at least had the patience to wait until they were out of the town before punching him into the dirt. 

He barely had time to feel the sting in his jaw before his face was shoved hard into the dirt. Qrow wrapped his hands around Gris’s wrist that held him, as if it would do any good. 

“You’re very stupid, did you know that?” 

“Got told this morning, actually.” He laughed, but he couldn’t think of what was funny.  

“Shut up.” Gris tightened his grip. “I don’t get to do fun things a lot. Next time Rauch asks you to do shit like that, take whatever punishment she gives you. Or mine will be a lot worse. Just because she’s soft on your sister does not mean I have to be.” 

Qrow stepped back when Gris pulled out the hunting knife. It was old, but the kept it sharp. At first Qrow thought it might be just to scare him, but an arched swing that just passed over his head had him scrambling backwards in the dirt. 

Gris couldn’t really be this mad at him, right? All he did was do what Rauch told him, if the second has beef, why shoot the messenger? And bringing up Raven, it confused him more than scared him. 

But he grabbed Qrow’s ankle as he tried to back away, dragging him through the mud. Qrow could little but struggle, his kicks didn’t seem to be doing anything, and the knife Gris has used was the one he brought just in case. He didn’t have a single weapon. 

The river Gris dragged him to was loud, even at the top of the ravine. Rainy season was almost at an end in northern Anima, but the rivers still roared like the monsoons were still rolling across the country. Gris held him by the shirt just over the edge of slope towards the water, like a warning. Definitely no swimming across, anything that tried got sucked into the current. Rocks jutted out randomly admits the water, strong against the current. 

“Is this supposed to scare me?” He scoffed, but felt his stomach twist at rapids. 

“If you live,” Gris’s words ripped Qrow’s eyes from the river, ignoring the front. 

“I didn’t even do anything!”

“You’re gonna remember what I said.” He didn’t acknowledge the beg, just dropped the boy over the edge. Gris felt the dirt slide out from under him right after, and managed to step back before he was taken too. 

Qrow felt his aura flash over him right as he plummeted down the slope, saving his knees from shattering against the rocks embedded in the mud. He rolled down through the muddy slope, too fast to get a grip on anything to slow him down before he hit the water.

The cold shocked him more than the undercurrent. In the darkness of the water, Qrow clawed panickedly at the sludge at the bottom of the river, floating pieces of wood, the few rocks he could see as he swift past, anything to slow down. It’d be useless to even try to swim, but he claimed anyways, instincts betraying him. He felt his aura working at his lungs, trying to ease the ache of running out of oxygen. 

The gulp of air he managed to get after clawing towards the surface was a short lived relief. His shoulder slammed into a boulder that didn’t even budge. His head followed suit against the rock, and the cold again was the thing that shook him as Qrow felt his aura break. 

Old fashioned adrenaline kept the exhaustion at bay, as the river didn’t slow down just because now he wasn’t protected. It felt like an eternity of being carried by the current, one second floating the best he could and the next getting swept under again, but Qrow managed to keep breaching long enough to get air, and drift inch by inch towards the bank. 

The river widened, gradually slowing enough for Qrow’s strokes to actually a make a difference in reaching the bank. He still got dragged along the shallows, but heaved himself up the bank on his hands and knees until it met the grassy start of the forest. His arms collapsed under him before he could catch himself. 

Qrow rolled over onto his back, seeing the the first few stars stand out against the darkening sky. He felt the few cuts bleeding after his aura broke, and the ache from Gris, but fresh air in his lungs was overwhelming. It felt as if he could stay in the grass forever, river flowing beside him as he finally caught his breath, but it might very well have been the worst place to be. Dark would bring prowling Grimm, if his fear at almost drowning didn’t already. 

He heaved himself sitting up. If he followed the river, he’d eventually find the ridge close enough to where he was thrown off. Then it should be a straight shot to the camp, following the moon, if he had his position right. His inner compass had never wronged him before, and better to wander than stay as easy pickings for Creeps or Beowolves. 

* * *

“ _ Ivory of Haven leaps into the air...a violent blow leaves Seafe of Shade down to his last shred of Aura.” _

“She’s gonna take it.” Kahel decided, nodding to the radio as she sharpenered her new mace. Another gift from the railway miles from camp. And one that gets signal all the way from Vaccuo’s Vytal Tournament. It was late, late enough no one would notice the radio missing, though probably just starting to get dark in Vaccuo across the world. Kahel snuck it into the Fledgling tent for the both of them before the match started.  Now the girls huddled on the ground around the radio. 

Raven only shrugged at the assessment, she had bet blindly before the match had started. “They're both down in Aura, but Shade kid is faster.” 

“Ivory’s taken heavier hits in the past rounds, though.” 

“ _ Ivory is pushed towards the edge...Seafe advances...but she gets over him with a spectacular jump!...Oh! Seafe hooks his weapon to her heel and throws her towards the edge of the ring again!”  _

Cheers could be heard beyond the announcer’s voice, a muted explosion from the fight. Raven didn’t notice herself leaning in to the radio. 

“ _ Ivory blocks the dust attack, Seafe advances...Ivory Ducoult of Haven is eliminated by knockout! Shade Academy stays in the Tournament! The entire Vaccuo kingdom will be represented by a Faunus! The stands are roaring! I don’t know if this will start a massive celebration or a war!” _

“I told you.” Raven held out her hand and smirked, ignoring the surrounding controversy the announcer described. 

Kahel grumbled something under her breath before reaching under her cot to drag out her sack of few personal items, tossing Raven the dust she promised her. “I don’t why you want more, you have a whole bag.” She nodded the the one Raven kept with her own things, few as they were. 

“I have some ideas that need a lot of dust.” She hummed. “And you go on raids now, you can however much you want.” 

The screen to their tent flapped open, Qrow stomping over the radio without a word. Part covered in mud, blood, and barely-dried clothes, and bruises already dark on his skin.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Qrow slumped into hammock that served as his bed, sounding more tired than angry as he looked. “Got thrown into the river.” 

Raven wasn’t sure whether Kahel’s laugh came from what he said, or the way he said it, but she still sounded a little empathetic. “Oh,  _ Karasu _ , what happened?” 

“I don’t know.” He sighed, rolling over in the hammock, just the top of his feathery hair visible. He must be tired, Raven knew, to not even complain about the nickname. 

She shifted on the ground, waiting for some kind of explanation, but Qrow for once stayed quiet. Raven let out a breath before tugging on the bond that tied them, hoping to get something out of it. Like a light from a door cracked open, she felt his exhaustion, mostly. Then familiar anger, and fear. She cut it off. “Tell us who.” 

“Yeah!” Kahel laughed again, spinning her mace in her hands. “I want to actually use this thing. It could probably break a leg.” 

“It was Gris.” Qrow muttered, and Kahel snorted a “Nevermind”. 

The twist Raven felt in her own stomach was a surprise, she blamed it on opening their bond, even for just a second. “He’ll forget about it in a few days.” 

“I would lay low for a while, though.” The older girl advised, still smirking. When Qrow sighed she rolled her eyes, standing to cross their tent and ruffle his air. “You’ll be fine. Sulk for a while and get over it. If I know you two-” 

The screen was ripped open again, Lahr standing in front of their tent. She wiped sweaty bangs from her forehead, the other cradling her stomach. “Where’s the Ram? Dayyo, where is she?” 

She ignored the girls, who looked to Qrow the same as her. He only waved her off, not even seeing who it was. “How should I know?”  

Lahr sucked in a breath, cursing as she released it. She looked between the girls, who stared back, before shaking her head and heading off away from their tent. 

“Wow,” Kahel set aside her weapon and dumped herself on the cot. “I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole.” 

Raven sighed, looking back to their screen. The rest of the camp was dark, the woman probably wouldn’t get help from anyone else. Either way, it wasn’t her problem. She stored the radio away in case someone came looking for it, and blew out their last candle. 

* * *

Raven let her brother sulk for three days until she got tired of it. Any small wounds he had from Gris were healed once his aura returned, so she bothered him into sparring with her. That quickly turned into more of playful wrestling, which then attracted attention, and had someone giving them a chore to do. Now they had a pile of rabbits between them, waiting to be skinned.

“You know happened to Lahr?” He asked, spinning the knife in his hands while Raven actually worked. 

“You’re the one who told her to get lost.” Raven scoffed, but softened. “Saw her going to get water this morning, she’s fine. Can’t use that as an excuse to pout around, either.” 

“Sorry I haven’t been in a great mood since someone tried to kill me.” 

“I think you’re being dramatic. Why were you even out there with him, anyway?” Qrow chucked a skin at her, still wet when it hit her. “Ew! What?” 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He snarled. “I thought you wanted me to get over it.” 

“Yeah,” Raven shrugged a shoulder. “I still want to know...Chief dropped off some liquor or something this morning. Said it was because you had the guts to come back.” 

Qrow scoffed, going back to flipping the knife over in his hand. “How generous.” 

“You’re going to have to take what you can get with her.” She glanced around them, just to make sure no one could even accidentally overhear. “It’ll be different when I’m Chief.” 

Qrow held back a laugh. “Sis, I think you’re getting too cocky. Maybe at least see if you live past Trial.” 

* * *

“Lahr’s been gone for two days.”

Raven looked up from the sword Rauch had given her. Gris stood in the back of the Chief’s cave, arms crossed casually over his chest. The sheet had just settled from where Dayyo had stormed out, Raven had only caught the end of that conversation when she entered. 

“She’s too young.” The Faunus had said. “There’s no reason for it. The girls get scared when they’re close to birth, this one will be back before her-”

“I don’t want her back.” Rauch had cut her off. “She’s has plenty of time to decide what she wants. If running off is Lahr’s best option, I don’t want her dragging us down. And there’s no one better to do this.” She had smiled warmly when Raven entered.

Dayyo had held her tongue, rare as it may be, and just shook her head as she left. Now Raven had a sword in her hands, a gun she was never good at aiming, and Rauch telling her to kill one of their own. 

“Consider this your Trial.” Rauch said. Raven glanced around the mostly empty cave, the Chieftain scoffed a laugh. “Sorry there’s no fanfare. If Lahr’s stupid enough she’ll go to a village, they’ll ask where she came from, and if she’s that desperate to play the victim, she’ll tell them. You were there the last time we went up against a Huntsman.” 

Raven gripped the handle of her sword. It was balanced well enough, she was better with one over any axe or gun. Still, it wasn’t what she expecting when she had thought of her Trial before. Kahel had told her a hundred times what her’s was like. Terrifying, and excited, and a challenge that was worthy of her. Raven wasn’t afraid of a scared woman with a baby, she’d seen those in raids already. Lahr wasn’t helpless, no one who called themselves a Branwen could be, but still. This wasn’t what she wanted.

Rauch saw her hesitation, clear on such a young face, and doubled down. “You can refuse, but you know what happens then.” 

“No, I know.” Raven swallowed whatever was tight in her throat, finally looking up from the sword. “I’ll do it. I accept.” 

* * *

The house Kahel had found the couple in weeks ago was the nearest shelter to the camp. Raven had to hope Lahr would be there, instead of Martfort, miles in the other direction. She had thought of the house soon after she had started towards Martfort, and turned around without quite thinking it through.

It didn’t feel anything like she expected, leaving camp to go off for her own Trial. It had been late enough for most to be in their own tents, only some watched her go, and even then it was with disinterest. She knew most of the celebration was fake, her people used it as an excuse to live it up. Drink, dance, fight, anything in excess. That doesn’t mean she wouldn’t appreciate the attention. It didn’t help that whenever she thought back to her task her stomach sank.

When she found the house, following the way Kahel had told her a hundred times, even that seemed disappointing. A small flock of chickens circled the house, which was more of a small cabin. One story, maybe two rooms, with rotting wood, a door torn off its hinges and part of the roof missing. A fence surrounded it, also half rotted and falling apart. A chicken cocked its head at her as Raven passed the fence, keeping a hand on the hilt of her sword. The bird watched her, but didn’t make a sound, to her benefit. 

She held the pistol loosely in her hand, but didn’t bother aiming it forward. No use wasting a shot when she could probably get close enough to use the sword she was good with. Qrow was always a good shot, when they could steal a few bottles for target practice. She wouldn’t be surprised if used a gun during his Trial. A small part of her had the thought that she might not live to see it, but she pushed that away as soon as it came. 

The house was quiet, aside from the chickens outside. It was unfinished on the inside, with the hole in the roof and recent rains rotting the inside wood. Glass from windows and a shattered mirror were scattered across the floor. Raven’s boots cracked against the glass, making herself flinch. 

She felt stupid, walking straight through the door of the cabin, though she was never taught to be stealthy. The Tribe used ambushes, and attacked hard once they knew they had the advantage. Walking blindly into a situation had her stomach twisting into knots.

When she saw out of the corner of her eye Wyn standing over her beside the door, she dropped the gun and reached for her sword. “Easy, kid.” He held out his hand towards the girl as a warning, but Raven had already swung before he could try. 

Wyn stumbled back as the blade sliced open from his stomach to pec, Raven advances instinctively. It was supposed to be just Lahr, Rauch didn’t mention if her partner had run with her. Maybe he didn’t, maybe he was looking for her too. Raven thrust the point of her sword into his stomach, the possibilities coming to mind afterward to her horror. 

“Wy?” The weak voice coming from the back room had her on guard again. Lahr held herself up between the doorframe of the back room, looking between Raven and Wyn coughing on the ground. Raven’s horror turned away from guilt and back into fear. Lahr charged at her, stumbling on her feet to grab a shard of glass from the floor.

Raven let out a scream when the glass went straight into her arm, but better than her neck., as Lahr tackled her to the ground. Her aura flickered, Lahr flinched back in surprise, she forgot Raven even had aura. She still held the girl down, with what strength she had left. “She sent a damn kid.” Lahr scoffed, Raven saw her blink back tears. 

The pause was enough for Raven to push her legs against the woman’s chest, and shoved her off. Lahr clawed for another shard of glass from the ground, but Raven was still faster. 

The one she grabbed, just out of Lahr’s reach was sliding across her throat the next second. She gagged and reached for her neck, but that was all before the mother let go. Raven felt the blood from the glass in her hand slide down her wrist. She let it drop to the ground, and tried to ignore how bad her hands shook in the air. 

Raven gasped in her last breath as Wyn’s arm curled around her throat from behind. He lifted her off the ground, legs kicking and hands clawing at the arm cutting off her air. Wyn started to open his mouth, getting out “Stop-” before Raven ripped the glass shard that was still in her arm out of it, and back into his eye. 

Whatever he was about to say died on his lips, but his grip around her throat held, Raven pulled the shard out before stabbing back blindly again. Wyn dropped his arm and Raven fell to the floor. More glass pushed into her knees, but air reaching her lungs drowned out any pain, or warmth from his blood on her face. It mixed with sweat, or maybe it was tears, she didn’t bother deciding. 

Raven crawled towards the wall to lean against it, holding her arm close to her chest. The pain from where the shard had embedded itself was easier to focus on than the bodies in front of her, or the piercing cry from the back room. 

Her feet took her towards the crying, the little squealing baby wrapped up in a jacket on an old bed. Raven blinked and found herself already leaving the house, the baby tucked close in her arms had quieted down to a whimper. He was a Branwen, she supposed, maybe someone would take it if she brought him back. She shifted him in her arms, his glassy, newborn eyes blinking at a new surrounding. 

The hike back to the camp felt numb, only a few sharp pains coming from her arm or where Wyn had choked her. It had taken half the day to get to cabin, but her small battle felt only seconds long. It wasn’t her first kill, that was months ago. She hadn’t given that man from the village more than a second thought, but this time it felt different. Not wrong, this had to be done, but off. Raven had felt the adrenaline before, but now she just wanted to sleep. 

All that matters was that it was done. She could avoid any Grimm, go back home, hand off this kid, and sleep for the next week if she wanted to. 

The sun was just sinking beyond the horizon when she reached camp, the sky a vivid orange. A few people gave her looks as she walked towards Rauch’s cavern, some followed, waiting for an excuse to start celebrations. Raven adjusted the baby to hide his face, though he was quiet, and most weren’t looking at him anyway. 

Rauch didn’t seem to notice when she entered, facing her fire pit and the animal cooking over it. Nothing changed in the cave in the day or so Raven had been gone, though she didn’t know why she expected it to. She stood quietly until the boy in her arms wriggled and squeaked. 

Rauch looked back to her, then the bundle. “You brought it back.” 

Raven shifted her weight. “I didn’t...know-”

“It’s okay.” The chief took the boy from her, pulling away the jacket it was wrapped in. Raven hugged her chest as she paced around the room, looking over the child.

“Wyn was with her.” 

“I thought he might be.” Rauch hummed, but moved on and kept her eyes on the baby. “Bringing this back was a good thought. But you have to finish.” She shrugged, one-handedly tossing Raven a knife. 

Raven looked from the blade in her hands to Rauch, setting the child down at her low table. “What do you mean?”

“It’s blind.” Rauch deadpanned, waiting for Raven to move on. “Or did you not look at him?” Raven passed the knife from hand to hand, squeezing tightly around its hilt. Above her, Rauch sighed, and squatted to be just under eye level. 

“You’re still young, I understand that. And it’s hard, to do something like this just because I ask you...But you know it’s what right for this Tribe. We can’t have something weak holding us back. If you think it over, you’ll see it’s better for everyone this way.” Her voice was warm, the same tone she used to praise, or offer pride, never to give orders.  “I’ll leave you for a while, it’s easier if you’re alone to do what you need to. You’ll see what I mean.” 

_ You’ll have to _ went unspoken. Rauch stepped out of the cave. Raven knew her leaving was a false comfort, but her words were comforting all the same. She had to be right. The Branwens couldn’t have lasted for hundreds of years to only now rethink the way they do things. The weak didn’t have a place among them. She shouldn’t hesitate, she didn’t why she was. Maybe just because it wasn’t as glorious as she dreamed. Lahr and Wyn attacked her, then she had adrenaline. That’s the only reason why that was easier than this. 

Raven crossed the room to stand over the boy, still wrapped up in his father’s jacket and oblivious to anything around his glassy eyes. She overlooked it before, still reeling from her fight, but now it seemed so obvious. He didn’t look towards her standing over him, or anything at all.

_ It’s what’s right _ she repeated in her mind. No one could look after him, she couldn’t even if she wanted to. And even if somehow someone took him, he would drag them down, constantly need attention. He wouldn’t survive, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with everyone else. It’d be a waste of time and a waste of life.  _ It’s mercy. It’s for her people.  _

“It’s mercy.” 

Hearing it made it easier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe surprisingly, I had about another 1.5k words to this chapter that I cut. I have a lot of ideas, but some of them I feel are either too cliche or unnecessarily angsty. That being said, still a lot of angst, and more to come. Other parts that I had to include were such a drag to get through, I hope it doesn't show too much.  
> Still, I wanted Raven's Trial to be something that would really affect her, and cement that attitude in her that she has to do things that are horrible, even if she doesn't want to, and still think it's right. I like to think that she does have a good heart, it just got really lost along the way. However, this does not change her into the Raven we see in current RWBY quite yet, just getting there slowly.  
> There a lot of (hopefully subtle) references and tie-ins to the show's lore in this one too, I especially love Dayyo's back story (that was one huge thing I cut, her speech was like twice as long), and when Raven and Kahel were listening to the Vytal Festival Tournament :)  
> Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

The way Dayyo would hum when she shuffled used to be annoying to him, now Qrow always found himself muttering along with the old woman for the first time in weeks. Since Dayyo had blown up at him, Qrow had tread carefully around any adult. Gris has him barely going far from his tent, unless absolutely necessary. Their little card games had thought to been out of the question, but when Qrow wandered in her tent, she tossed him the deck like nothing had happened. Something familiar was welcome. 

Raven had barely spoken a word to him since she returned from her sudden Trial. She gave him the rundown of what happened, nothing too detailed, and nothing like the long, glory-filled stories she’d dream up to him every now and then. Nothing really seemed to change around them, a few less chores and such because she was technically not a Fledgling anymore. People around the camp didn’t seem to miss the two that had tried to run off. Raven had been stuck in her own head for a while, but now it was different. 

He didn’t blame her, too much. Something inside him hated what she did, and another ignored it. Raven had killed for him before, Qrow never resented her for that. He didn’t hate Kahel for passing her Trial either, Just something about this time, even Raven knew it was different and so did he. He thought he was just bitter that she snuck off without a word to anyone, and came without one either, and now expects to be treated different, but there was still something else he couldn’t place. 

“So what will you be cheating me out of tonight?” 

The Faunus’s words pulled him out of his thoughts. Qrow sighed. “I never cheat you.”

“Pah.” 

“You won last time.”

“Weeks ago. And worthless Lien I’m just gonna lose back to you.” 

Qrow shrugged and glanced around her tent, junk still littered everywhere. He couldn’t tell what was new or just misplaced, but it was nothing he wanted. 

“I want that.”

Dayyo spat again when he pointed to the silver ring on her finger, twisting it out of habit. “No.” 

Qrow scoffed. “Why not?” 

“I need this more than you do.” She said matter-of-factly, keeping her hand away from him and the table. “Keeps curses away.” 

“Then I do need it.” He muttered, leaning back on his hands. Any time he walked by her, Rauch had her eyes on him. 

“Not for sale.” Dayyo hummed, turning back to dealing out the cards. “Besides. You’re already cursed. And if that hasn’t killed you by now, nothing will.” 

* * *

Raven sighed, finally rolling to face him when her brother shifted loudly in his bed for what felt like the millionth time. Their fire had already died, the cold slowly pushing out what little warmth the Fledglings had in their tent. The moon shone directly over the rip at the top of their tent, Raven could just make out her twin staring towards the sky. “You can’t honestly be this nervous.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Qrow scoffed, folding his hands over his chest. “Your Trial was a joke.”

“That’s not true.” She protested, frowning in the dark. Someone shifted in their bed across the tent. Just wasn’t broadcasted to the Tribe the same as any other Trial would. And Rauch actually wanted her to live through it, prove all the treatment wasn’t for nothing. 

Qrow was not guaranteed the same luxury.  

His Trial would be any day now, despite his hopes of it being postponed due to an early winter. Rauch wouldn’t consider it important, and it might not be, if it was combat, or something simple like thievery. Particularly difficult Trials were given to those who obviously couldn’t hold their own. As the days went on, Qrow’s fear was creeping up on him. And Raven could feel it every second he did.

In the deafening silence, she watched herself curl her fingers into the thick blanket, letting out a quiet whisper he just barely hear. “It would be a waste, to kill you.” 

Qrow shifted on his cot once more, but Raven’s annoyance didn’t surface again. 

With a sigh, she continued. “They know my portals only lead to you. It’s useful for raids, at the very least. They know that. Without you, it’s useless, Rauch wouldn’t waste something like that.” 

Raven felt his stomach twist. She was never good at comforting.

“Besides,” she admitted in a low whisper. “You’re a strong enough fighter to get through it on your own.”

Qrow stayed quiet on his side of the tent, pulling the blanket over his shoulders as the cold crept in further. A small whisper could barely be heard. “Right.” 

Raven couldn’t sleep with the doubt spilling off of him. 

* * *

No matter her other feelings on the matter, Raven was proud of her brother three times when he was finally summoned for Trial. The first, when Rauch had the nerve to send Dayyo.

“Qrow Branwen.” Raven had never seen the woman so stoic. She called for him as they were skinning rabbits, Raven’s eyes never left her brother. “Your skills will be put to Trial. Chief Rauch will give you your task at the confluence.” 

The first moment of pride struck Raven when he cooly put down his knife to stand and face his teacher. She felt his fear like it was her own, but Qrow nodded smoothly and followed Dayyo through the camp. Raven trailed a few paces behind them, the other tribe members seemingly lined up to watch the march. 

It felt a thousand times longer than Raven’s own summoning, and at the end Dayyo left him alone in front of Rauch’s tent. Raven blended in with the rest of the crowd as the chief emerged, Qrow’s hand twitched but otherwise he remained composed. 

Rauch smirked, placing one hand on her hip, eyeing the boy like it was first time she really got a good look at him. Raven shifted to get a better look as a strong wind ripped through the camp, the sound of someone’s tent collapsing with the gust rang out against the silence. Without a glance towards the sound, Rauch let out a breath, visible in the winter air. 

“We’re more north than where we we usually settle. It will be a harsh winter, by the looks of it.” The chief announced, like a rehearsed speech was on the tip of her tongue.

Raven’s second moment of pride came on with Qrow’s steady response. 

“So it would seem.” 

A few tribesmen snickered. Rauch’s brow raised, like she was amused, and actually grinned at Qrow. “This tribe survives these kinds of winters due to our durability. Cunning. Stubbornness. And, maybe a little luck.” Another grin from the leader, some perverse laughter. Rauch looked back to Qrow, a more grave face. “But mostly, our strength. Trial grants every member the opportunity to show their strength. Secure a place among this family.” 

Qrow let out an even breath, locking eyes with her.

“Qrow Branwen, your Trial is Jagd.” 

Raven had to cover her mouth to stop the gasp that wanted to escape. For the rest of her life, she couldn’t tell whether the dread she felt was her brother’s, or her own. Dayyo closed her eyes, letting her chin dip towards the ground. Someone let out a restrained, shocked curse. Most just shifted uncomfortably. Raven searched the crowd to see Clemai’s face actually surprised, but soon change to a smirk. Despite whatever her twin was feeling, Raven’s anger flooded through her.

Qrow remained standing, Raven hoped she was the only one who noticed his arms shaking as he crossed them over his chest. 

“You will have three weeks to return. Only evidence that the huntsman is dead is required.” Rauch continued, pacing in front of Qrow. “Do you accept your trial?”  The only lapse in Raven’s fury was the final spark of pride in Qrow’s stable, confident answer. 

“Yes.”

Rauch nodded, and left Qrow to find his way out of camp before entering back into her tent. The others followed suit, murmuring to each other as the crowd slowly dispersed. Raven tried to pushed past people to get to him. Her heart pounded loudly, slowing blocking out the noise around her as a million things he needed to know raved through her mind.  _ Aura can keep you warm for hours, don’t sleep directly on the ground, boil snow for water, fires don’t attract Grimm, why didn’t I ever tell him this before?  _

She saw Dayyo shove her way through the crowd to Qrow, ignoring the words from his escort to grab his shoulder. Raven was still too far away to hear what the old woman whispered, and people were less likely to let her through as they did with Dayyo. In her mind she reached out to Qrow, feeling his dread like a flood. Whatever Dayyo told him before being pulled away caused a fleeting spark of joy in him.

The hand that wrapped around Raven’s wrist ripped her out of his head in an instant. She turned contentiously to whoever dared, finding only Gris’s massive chest as a recipient of her glare. 

“You,” the giant grumbled. “In the cave. Now.” He didn’t give her much choice, easily parting a path through the now-thinned group of tribe members left. If Raven wasn’t concerned with looking like a child having a tantrum, Gris would’ve been dragging her through the snow. He shoved her into Rauch’s cavern, giving a simple order. “Sit.”  

Raven took a seat at the chief’s small table like she was asked, Qrow’s feelings completely left her as he was taken further away. 

“You’ll be staying by Gris’s side until Qrow’s Trial is over.” Rauch informed from where she prepared tea, infuriatingly casual for Raven’s taste. 

The girl reached absently for the cup Gris held out to her, only to blink attention when he pulled it out of reach. “To make sure there’s no cheatin’.” He clarified with a grin. 

“Are you still thinking about an odachi for a weapon? You’ll need more training to master a sword like that.” Rauch changed the subject quickly, pouring herself a cup of tea. “Gris told me about your dust cartridge idea. Very clever, deadly. Sword skills, I can assist you with, dust, however,” she shrugged. “You’ll need to learn how to handle that on your own. I’m not particularly worried, you have experience with it already.”

Raven only frowned, watching her leader sit informally across from her. “Why did you give him Jagd?” She asked hollowly. “Out of everything?” 

Rauch only shrugged, like she haven’t given it a single thought. “Jagd is a Trial. Just like anyone else, it was Qrow’s time.” 

“To die?” Even Raven was surprised how easily the challenge came out of her mouth. Gris cocked his head, and if he wasn’t offended by her tone, he’d be impressed with Raven’s bravery. Rauch only scowled. 

“The  _ weak  _ die, Raven.” 

“You’d never give someone Jagd as a Trial unless you wanted them dead. You told Gris to kill him before. And now you sent him to Mistral to hire some huntsman to kill him for you.” Raven didn’t know when she stood, but hearing the words come out like venom at her leader only added to her anger. “What did he do? He holds his own like everyone else!” 

Rauch was towering over her just as fast, one hand on the gun on her hip. “If Qrow is strong enough to be a part of this tribe, he’ll survive.” 

“You never liked him, this is just another excuse to kill one of our own.” 

The slap from Rauch sent Raven to her hands and knees.

“I will let that go, as your brother is still close enough for his emotions to rub off on you.” With grace the chief stepped over Raven to look into the fire. “I don’t know why your semblance is centered around Qrow alone. Who knows, maybe it’s not, you’d think his would have something to do with you, or would appear at all.” With a sigh Rauch crossed her arms over his chest. “You would be strong together, but it’s not enough if you want to become as powerful as you could be, Raven. You can’t rely on one person, it can be a distraction from what matters.”

Rauch turned back to see the girl still on her knees, watching two or three silent tears drip onto the ground. Her tone softened.

“What do you want me to do? You can’t have someone holding you back, Raven. Without something to tying your portals down, your semblance would have no limits. You have to be ready to do anything for your Tribe if we’re to survive. Even what feels like cutting out your heart.”

Raven sniffed, blinking before finally lifting her head to face Rauch. Her eyes gleamed, but no tears fell. “And if it’s for nothing?” 

“Whatever happens, it won’t be for nothing.” Gris finally spoke up. “Lose another who can’t succeed in Trials.”  Chief Rauch merely shrugged, resuming her usual, commanding tone. 

“The weak die, the strong live.” 

* * *

She kept waiting for the feeling to finally hit her.

Raven had tried to limit how much she looked into her brother’s feelings, she did have some respect for his wishes. But the gateway that connected them was hard to close completely, every once in a while she’d get a spark of something she knew was from Qrow.

Since he left for Trial, there was nothing.

Her portals could reach to the ends of the world, as far as they could tell. Rauch barred Raven from creating any portals. Gris remained by her side to ensure the rule was followed, and Qrow was left alone. Besides being under a watchful eye, the Tribe continued on with life. She had tried for a few days to reach out without a portal, just barely opening the gate to Qrow that she used to try so hard to close. No one could tell what she was doing, that she was looking for anything that felt like her brother. Just for a sign, a small reassurance it wasn’t over. 

By the fifth day, there was still nothing. Like the spot in the back of her mind that he’d always had was gone. Raven stopped trying to reach him, closed the gate. Concentrated on the routine she had within the Tribe she’s always had. After a week, Raven determined that she might not feel it when he died. 

The ache in her left knee started on the tenth day. 

Raven ignored it, thinking she could have slept strangely, among the past few restless nights, and the cold wouldn’t help her joints any. She stood tall when Rauch called her to training for the first time since their words in her tent. When she dismissed Gris, Raven felt her stomach twist. She used to look forward to training. She had grown used to Gris’s near constant presence - no matter how stoic the giant man could be - being alone with Rauch left her feeling vulnerable. 

The chief merely tossed her a sword without a word about her brother, or anything else. Raven suddenly felt stupid for expecting one, there was never casual conversation during her training before, nothing’s changed. They had stopped using wooden weapons weeks ago, the Chief thought it would make her learn faster. She wasn’t wrong. Their warm up left Raven scrambling to dodge even the simplest of swings, her blocks barely held up against Rauch’s attacks, and she was out of breath within minutes. Rauch seemed to ignore her difficulties, advancing aggressively.

With every attack Raven struggled to keep up. Two blocked swings and a dodge left all her weight on her pained knee she rolled, right into Rauch’s kick that sent her sprawling. Raven ducked just in time for Rauch’s sword to cut through the air above her head. She scrambled backwards in the cold dirt, the blade just barely missing her torso each time it dug into the dirt. 

The chieftain chased her into the snow, Raven’s back hit the spiked wall of the camp. Her chest heaved with visible pants, Rauch let out an angry yell with her swing. Raven’s attempt at a block ended with her weapon being thrown out of hand, the blade slit across her arm and drew a gasp.

“Yield!” 

With the scream Raven closed her eyes, arms flashing up to shield her face from the expected strike. She heard the crack of wood above her, opening an eye to see her own breath in the cold air. Raven dropped her arms, blood already dripping down from her gash to stain the snow, and looked up to see Rauch’s sword embedded in the lumber wall above her. Then to the chief herself glaring down. 

“What. Was that?”

Raven stayed silent, looking down to her blood dying the snow. Rauch grabbed her chin and forced their eyes to meet again, the chief’s dark amber stare matching the girl’s crimson. 

“Did you not hear me?” Rauch ripped her sword from the wood to stab it into the ground beside Raven. “What’s wrong with you? Leave you alone for a few days and you come back like you’ve never held a weapon in your life before.” 

Raven jerked out of her grip, swallowing thickly before deciding on an answer. “Something’s wrong with my knee, I don’t-” 

“And that means you can’t dodge - or swing - for shit now?” Rauch sighed, covering her eyes. Raven opened her mouth again, but a quick gesture cut her off. “I don’t care. Just..leave. Unless you want more than that.” She swatted the false edge of her weapon against Raven’s wound before turning. 

Raven didn’t need to be told twice to make her exit. She took a risk left both swords for Rauch to take care of herself, and held the gash in her arm. Her jaw ached from the kick and her knee sparked pain with every step of her wandering. She didn’t have a real destination, instinct told her that away from Rauch’s tent was the best option.

Walking between quiet tents of the camp, snow began to fall lightly, and Raven realized this was the first time she’s been alone in over a week. She could feel the itch of a portal in her fingers just thinking of it, but the idea was stupid. All she has to do is wait, she’ll find out in time. Besides, they’d both be killed, or worse, if Rauch’s already unhappy with her. 

But just  _ knowing  _ might make her off feeling go away. A peek into the situation, far enough away he wouldn’t even hear the portal. It wouldn’t hurt, she wouldn’t speak, or help him. Just look. Shake off this slump, have everything go back to normal. Maybe just making a portal would be proof enough that he was alive, for now at least. Raven stepped behind a tent and raised her arm, a shiver running through her bones to the tips of her fingers. 

Dayyo stepped out in front of Raven just as the high pitch of her portal could be heard.  

With a gasp she dropped her arm to her side, any sound vanishing with the action. Dayyo raised a brow, looking the girl up and down, suspicious at the visitor outside her tent. She sighed, pressing her lips together as Raven stared dumbly, for once without a proud lie at her tongue. “I..” 

“I suppose you can come in.” Dayyo shrugged, stepping back into her tent and holding back the cloth as an entrance for her. When Raven was still frozen, mouth agape, Dayyo coughed expectantly. “Your arm?” 

Raven flashed her eyes back to the gash in her bicep, then back to the blood on her opposite hand. “Oh, I-...um,” 

“I’m going to assume you didn’t come behind here for anything else?” Dayyo raised a brow, glancing around. 

“No!” Raven said, alarmed at her own tone of voice. She sounded like a panicked child, she sounded her age. Dayyo looked back to her, while Raven looked down. The Faunus had to know. She might be crazy, but she wasn’t stupid. Raven will take help where she can get it. “Just….it happened in training.” 

“Hm.” Dayyo nodded towards the inside of her tent. “Come on, then. It’s cold enough without me standing here letting it in for nothing.” 

Raven nodded, moving past the woman into the warmth of her tent, the strong smell of incense made her grimace. Bottles littered the ground, among other trinkets and slop the old woman hoarded. Raven took a seat on the ground without being told. 

“That might need to be sewed together, if it’s deep enough.” Dayyo raked through her mess of things to find a crude-looking needle, jerking Raven’s arm closer to see. “I was told you were smart enough to stitch yourself up.” Dayyo grumbled. “Or not mess up in the first place.” 

“Not great at stitching with my left hand.” Raven stored away the excuse, in case Gris came looking for her. She watched the small fire in the center of the tent as Dayyo stuck the needle between her teeth to clean what blood she needed away from her wound before started to stitch. “I didn’t mess up anything.”

The woman scoffed around the needle. “Of course not. Never you.” 

Raven glared at Dayyo. “I just haven’t trained with Rauch in a while.” 

“Since Qrow left.” Dayyo clarified, meeting her gaze flatly. “She wanted to see if you were distracted, or still as cocky as you used to be, is my guess. You failed, by the looks of it.” 

“I am  _ not  _ distracted.” Raven muttered, turning her glare back to the fire.

“But still cocky?” She hummed. “Or is it not as fun anymore, being the center of attention for a woman who’s made you kill a babe when you didn’t want to and probably has killed your brother?” 

“Probably?” Somehow everything else that she said that would’ve angered Raven was buried for the moment. “Everyone knows he’s as good as dead. That wasn’t a Trial, it was a sentence.” 

Dayyo shrugged, making the girl roll her eyes. “Whatever you want to believe, I suppose.”

“You think he’ll actually come back?” Raven scoffed. “It takes ten of us to take down a real huntsman. He doesn’t have a chance, and Rauch’ll pass it off as being weak, like she does with anything that argues with her.” 

“Oh, maybe you are smart.” She nodded, a small smirk across her lips.

Raven frowned, more condescension. “I don’t get how he stands you.” 

“I give him booze.” Dayyo said, leaning back after tying off the stitches. “And the little bastard can always beat me in cards.” 

Raven sighed, taking the bandage from Dayyo to wrap her arm herself. “Well you won’t lose anymore.” 

“If you were so sure of that,” the Faunus smirked. “Maybe you wouldn’t have been using my tent to hide and go to him.” 

Raven stood, fists clenched as she stared down at her. It was enough to reach her boiling point. The embarrassment of training, her fear of her own home, desperation to just get one answer, and now she’s being mocked for almost betraying her tribe. “You were the one who told me to strengthen my bond with Qrow. I’m not used to having him not around, not knowing what’s going on.” She closed her eyes. “I wouldn’t have been out there if it wasn’t for  _ you _ .” 

Dayyo sighed, shaking her head. “How awful it must be, to feel scared for your own brother. All my fault, too. How could I do such a thing to you?” 

Raven opened her mouth, but the fire was flushed out when she saw the Faunus’s look. No satisfaction, but almost pity. 

“Go back to your tent, Raven. Rest some, and maybe even stop lying to yourself. Before your little guardian comes looking for you.” 

Raven gritted her teeth, and pursed her lips. Dayyo remained casual, leaning back on her hands to watch Raven carefully. She debated with herself for a moment, but it was clear there was no winning this argument. Raven sighed, turning away from Dayyo to stomp outside and back into the snow. 

* * *

“I’ll help you do it.”

Raven turned over in bed to face Kahel. The older girl stared through the dark at her from her own bed, keeping her voice down. Cold started to seep through their tent, the fires dying down without anyone willing to stand the cold to keep them awake.

“Find Qrow.” Kahel clarified. “Burn him, bury him. It doesn’t matter”

“We’re not supposed t-”

“I don’t care.” She scoffed. “We’re not supposed to do anything. You weren’t supposed to have your Trial at thirteen, Rauch’s not supposed to have a successor, and Qrow’s not supposed to be sent off to die for no reason.” Kahel shook her head, and let out a calming breath. “He’s a Branwen. If he’s going to die, he shouldn’t be left out in the snow to be eaten by wolves or worse.” 

Raven look down, scratching a nail against her bed. “Yeah.”

“I’m serious.” She reached across the space between their beds, grabbing Raven’s hand. She squeezed, until she looked to her eyes. “I’ll do it, he’s like my brother too. He deserves better.” 

Raven paused, then squeezed her hand back. “Okay.” She promised. “We’d do the same for you.” 

“You won’t have to.” Even in the dark, Raven could see her smirk. 

* * *

After the third blade crackled with fire as it shattered, Raven was ready to quit her experiment for the day. Fire dust was probably the easiest to get this far outside the kingdoms, but that doesn’t mean she needs to waste any more on failed attempts at a blade made from it. Rauch had already decided that if Raven wanted dust blades, she’d have to figure out the details herself.

A few melted snow banks and not a single blade still intact, Raven determined it necessary to rethink her design. 

Gathering what shards of the burning dust she could, the splitting headache resurfaced. Raven massaged her temples, when a voice drew her attention back up the hillside towards camp. She tied off her sack of the remaining dust, watching Kahel stumble down through the deep snow on the hill.

“Raven!” She shouted, sprinting the rest of the way to reach the girl. Gris stood from his watchful perch to loom over Raven. Kahel grabbed her shoulders, Raven stepping a pace. “Your brother,” Kahel panted. “He’s  _ back _ .” 

Raven knew her shock showed on her face, and would be embarrassed by it if the feeling wasn’t mutual among all three of them. Gris loomed behind her, a deep frown on his lips. “What?” 

“Just come on,” Kahel wrapped her hands around Raven’s wrists, tugging her forward. “He’s not in great shape but he’s looking like a legend. Rauch doesn’t happy about it, you have to come. He’s got a farmer’s scythe, or something like it _. _ ” She jerked Raven forth again, and out of her trance. 

They made it back to camp in record time, Raven didn’t even feel the cold wind biting as they ran. Kahel did most of the pushing when it came to parting the horde, though most let Raven through to the front of the crowd to stand directly behind the scene when they realized. 

Qrow was already stood in front of Rauch’s tent, a large axe embedded in the ground between them, a red cape tied to the handle, blowing in the wind. The scythe Kahel spoke of was planted into the ground, the blade up to his shoulders. Rauch stood with her arms crossed over her chest, a deep seated scowl at the boy in front of her. 

“They haven’t said a word to each other.”

“She’s making him wait.” 

“I’d be mad, too. Kid was cocky before all this.” A few whispered in from behind Raven. She pushed past a few tribesmen to stand closer to Rauch’s tent, and have a face view of her brother. 

Qrow’s face was half painted in what looked like dried blood, the wound still slightly open just at his hairline. Raven slowly looked away to see his left pant leg ripped at the knee, more old blood staining the cloth. The same around his right shoulder, and a sloppy bandage around his left arm. His pose mirrored the chief, though his expression wasn’t anger. It was almost as if he waited for a challenge.  

Rauch finally breaking from their staring contest drew the entire camp’s attention back to her. “I suppose something has to be done about this.” She announced, projecting for the audience like she did at the beginning. 

“I completed my Trial.” Qrow defended himself, but didn’t move from his position. “One less huntsman to ruin our raids.” Raven recognized Dayyo’s bark of laughter from somewhere in the crowd.

Rauch only shifted her weight in contemplation, one hand resting on her hip. “So I guess I don’t have a choice...but to congratulate you.” The chief’s scowl turned into a smirk. “Qrow Branwen, you’ve earned your place among this tribe.”  Someone in the crowd cheered, another whistled. Even Qrow seemed to relax, shoulders dropping as the other members moved in to offer praise, even smiling as he was swarmed. 

Raven was pushed aside. Somehow she was splashed in alcohol as bottles were already being passed around. Someone started a cheer, others were singing the Red Eye Legend. 

Rauch shouted over the growing chaos, spreading her arms out. “Make sure he gets one hell of a celebration.” Raven turned back to see the smile plastered on the chief's face drop as soon as she turned from the tribe, entering back into her tent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raven centered again this time, but think of this as a two-parter :)  
> Next is the finale, I've split this story into two for now because I at least want to finish this by the the end of the year, or hopefully even before V6 is released and most likely rips it to shreds in terms of canon.   
> Thanks for reading and comments are read, appreciated and loved!


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